Rising Star Matthew Ziff Pegged to Join Cast of William McNamara's Television Comedy The Trouble with Billy

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Jan. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- William McNamara, more commonly known to his fans as Billy Mack, is certainly no stranger to the uncertainties of life in Hollywood. He has seen success with films such as Stealing Home, Surviving the Game and Copycat, and has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry. Today, McNamara has a new project in the works called The Trouble with Billy, which turns the trials of his modern life into fodder for a part reality, part fictional "adventure" in West Hollywood (http://thetroublewithbilly.com/). Among the cast and crew already on board at pre-production is Matthew Ziff, a talented young actor whose career is on the cusp of breaking through in a big way.

Matthew Ziff is no stranger to the bright lights -- he began modeling at the age of only two months. More recently, Ziff has enjoyed starring roles in films such as Mansion of Blood, Hardflip and Treachery. He just completed work on the set of Truck Stop, a 70's drama starring Juno Temple and Evan Peters. In The Trouble with Billy, Ziff will play the character of "Warren," a college quidditch player.

"I'm excited for the chance to work with Billy McNamara," said Ziff. "The Trouble with Billy is a fantastic concept, and I think audiences are in for a pleasant surprise."

In one of those art-imitates-life twists, Ziff is himself a quidditch enthusiast. He played on the quidditch team while a student at the University of Miami, even taking part in an exhibition at the London Olympics. In The Trouble with Billy, McNamara tries to convince "Warren" to put him on the team as a means to drum up some much-needed publicity. It's one of many misadventures and miscalculations that will provide the series with guaranteed laughs.

In order to raise funds for a pilot episode of The Trouble with Billy, McNamara has launched a Kickstarter campaign. The campaign page contains enough information to convince would-be investors that McNamara has his ducks in a row. Thanks to industry friends and contacts, McNamara has a well-conceived plan for the show's logistics and technical elements. He has assembled a 24-page script for the pilot, four additional scripts, a complete outline for the first season and a compelling 7-minute teaser.

McNamara already has a distribution deal in place for The Trouble with Billy. Industrial Entertainment will handle distribution through numerous channels, including Amazon, iTunes, Netflix and Redbox. McNamara is hopeful that the pilot will be picked up by a major broadcast of cable network, such as FX.

Joe Manganiello, of HBO's True Blood, is executive producer on The Trouble with Billy, along with Mike Tadross, Jr. and Noel Ashman. The behind-the-camera talent likewise comprises experienced professionals, so the quality and production value of the show will definitely reach a high standard.

Billy McNamara's impressive resume includes work with numerous A-list actors, including Jim Carrey, Jodie Foster and Sigourney Weaver. As such, clever celebrity cameos will be part and parcel of The Trouble with Billy's quirky narrative.

The Trouble with Billy Kickstarter campaign closes on January 6. Having already reached the initial goal of raising $15,000, the campaign now has its sights set on raising a total of $30,000. Should that goal be reached, McNamara will have the funds to shoot an entire hour of film.

About Matthew Ziff

Though still under the age of 25, Ziff is an entertainment veteran of more than 20 years. He began modeling at two months, and by age 10 had appeared on both Late Night with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. He has filmed eight movies, with four more in production, and has been cast in films with veteran actors such as Rosanna Arquette, Michael Biehn, Gary Busey, Martin Kove, Lorraine Ziff and John Schneider. Ziff is also executive producer and star of the feature film Six Gun Savior, a fantasy western.